Community Forums

StansCustoms · 11-24-2010, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff and Cheryl

Stan,
When I get the "excess slope", most of the time if I then use manual, I can get the coach to level. The LR tires will come off the ground if there is much lift needed. I've heard that WRV was advised by HWH to go with the next size larger on the leveling jacks, but the advise went unheeded. On my coach, if the control panel shows unleval across either the front or back, plus unlevel on either side, it is a real bear to level without ramping a wheel position. Usually what I get is LR lower than RR plus LR lower than LF. If I can see unlevel by eyeballing it, I ramp the LR before going further. The alternative is just too time consuming and irritating. I've read elsewhere on this forum (Dave Fernandez I think) that the rear suspension is stiffer on the Alpine, so there is less travel, and so those wheels are more likely to come off the ground.

I haven't really got the leveling down yet...it sure isn't as easy as my old coach. It seems to me the jacks are to short or something.

No doubt that the rear suspension has less travel...but it also has "much" more weight above it.

I think I will be trying to park where the front has to be raised rather than the rear ...especially if the wheels have to come off the ground. The engine, trans, and dual tired rear end has to be supported by the HWH jacks if the rear is way low. Not good I'm sure.

Looks like there really isn't a good way if the coach shows excessive slope.

Stan

rmmpe · 11-25-2010, 05:56 AM

Do Not raise the rear enough to have either side off the ground.
Or, worse yet, both.

The Parking brake works on the driveshaft and will not necessarily keep the rig from moving because the rotational forces can be transmitted through the Spider gears in the differential. If this happens, the side off the ground can freely rotate in the opposite direction, allowing the Coach to move.

In this case the only thing restricting movement will be the shafts of the jacks.

StansCustoms · 11-25-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmmpe

Do Not raise the rear enough to have either side off the ground.
Or, worse yet, both.

The Parking brake works on the driveshaft and will not necessarily keep the rig from moving because the rotational forces can be transmitted through the Spider gears in the differential. If this happens, the side off the ground can freely rotate in the opposite direction, allowing the Coach to move.

In this case the only thing restricting movement will be the shafts of the jacks.

Exactly..

Likely to bend the jacks, also the reason fore the afore mentioned commercial chocks....and trying tto position the coach where the front is the low end if on a "excess slope".

Stan...

Renipladlo · 11-27-2010, 11:17 PM

All - There have been several discussions on this subject. Here is my two cents worth and what the manual says first.

1. "Do not attempt to use the jacks on unstable ground or excessive slope. Do not stack objects such as wood or blocks under the jacks. Do not raise the tires off the ground. Do not run engine while using leveling system-(my words-don't start engine then unlevel coach-unlevel first)". Now I use large wide blocks under my jacks because I don’t want them to sink in soft ground out of site (happened to me in Florida, since it’s mostly all sand). So this answers the question about raising the wheels off the ground, unless you ignore the manual. I carry some wooden ramps and if necessary to keep them from being in the air, drive up on the ramps, prior to leveling the coach.

Concerning the rear wheel off the ground and having them airborne. Since alpines have hydraulic brakes, the only parking brake we have is the one which locks the drive shaft using an air operated brake assembly on a disc (I think). NOTE: we don’t have a “park position in the transmission” so if the rear wheels are off the ground, then there is nothing keeping the coach from rolling away. Now with that said, it's going to be argued that the jacks would keep it from rolling away. If the slope is steep enough gravity (that pesky little natural law) will cause the weight of the coach to possibly bend the jack housing or shafts toward the downside of the slope and it could get away from you. Again, I carry ramps, so I can drive the back wheels on them, so there is some support for them and to keep the brake working correctly.

Engineer Mike can confirm but I also don’t believe the suspension system is designed to have either the rear or front suspension off the ground for an extended period without some kind of support, either jack stands under the front or rear end. Since this is more trouble than it’s worth, I suggest you make some ramps which are wide enough to straddle both of the rear wheels and those ramps would also be wide enough for the front end as well. They don’t have to be high, around 2 or 3 inches high would be enough, as anything more out of level than that would be too steep for the coach to level anyway I think. If nothing else, carry some 2"X12” boards faced on each side with ¼” plywood to keep them from cracking and weather checking.

Stan - assume you have some air bags leveling on your model coach, make sure the bags are dumping the air on all four wheels which in my base is at least 4-6 inches. If that is happening, then maybe you need to make sure the jacks are operating properly, and extending all the way as designed. You can take the model number/serial number and call HWH and they can tell you the travel amount they are capable of.

StansCustoms · 11-28-2010, 01:30 PM

Hi Monty..how are your travels going? ...good I hope.

I doubt that I'l suspend the suspension unless I have too...and likely only the front then. If I need to support the front tires the ramps you mentoned would help in that regard. Like you said 2/3 inches would go along way there....even if it took 6/7 to level the coach the tires wouldn't just be hanging in the air supported by the shocks..the ramps would support some of the hanging weight.

Stan...

Renipladlo · 11-28-2010, 02:23 PM

Stan, travels going good. If you think you are going to do a lot of camping in unlevel terrain, I would make them 4" thick. Make sure you bevel one end so you can drive upon them. Then the length would need to be 12-18" long. Or you can buy those orange blocks you see advertized in all the RV magazines. Those type stacked up in a ramp have enough strength to hold the coach, you might need two packages of them.

takepride · 11-30-2010, 10:54 PM

Monty:

I've used several packages of the Lynx (orange) blocks you mentioned. My 18,000# gasser managed to crush nearly all of them. I'd never use them on my Alpine at 33,000#. Lynx replaced them twice, but to no avail. CW said that was a common problem for motorhome drivers.

I did find some great ramps from Leg Upp. They are very light weight and are designed for heavy trucks. I bought four and they stack together in less space than my old boards and blocks. I still use some of those black plastic boards with aluminum handles to keep the jacks from penetrating the ground and have a couple 2x10 blocks to put under those when needed.

When needed, I've been able to use the ramps, blocks and boards, augmented with a couple boulders to cure my excessive slope. Looks weird to have one rear wheel 18" above natural grade, but heck, it was a great camping spot!

StansCustoms · 12-01-2010, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by takepride

Monty:

I've used several packages of the Lynx (orange) blocks you mentioned. My 18,000# gasser managed to crush nearly all of them. I'd never use them on my Alpine at 33,000#. Lynx replaced them twice, but to no avail. CW said that was a common problem for motorhome drivers.

I did find some great ramps from Leg Upp. They are very light weight and are designed for heavy trucks. I bought four and they stack together in less space than my old boards and blocks. I still use some of those black plastic boards with aluminum handles to keep the jacks from penetrating the ground and have a couple 2x10 blocks to put under those when needed.

When needed, I've been able to use the ramps, blocks and boards, augmented with a couple boulders to cure my excessive slope. Looks weird to have one rear wheel 18" above natural grade, but heck, it was a great camping spot!

takepride:

I did a Google for Legg Up , didn't turn up anything. Do you know where to get them now?

I finally rounded up a couple of nice clean crossties a couple of days ago...and was planning on doing a little whittling with my chain saw for ramps/ blocks. Maybe the Legg Up product would be better...lighter maybe?

Best regards..Stan

Renipladlo · 12-01-2010, 08:41 PM

Everything I found was in the 5-700 dollar range. Great ratings for weight, but I can buy a lot of great wood for that kind of money.

Dadeaux · 12-01-2010, 09:17 PM

I have HWH jacks and have raised my coach off the ground both back and front. I recently was at the dealership in Tupelo and they had me lift the front off the surface and then the mechanic crawled under it without any other security; I recommend that you don't take that chance.

FYI: I have read instances where Atwood jacks were damaged by over extending them.

Jeff and Cheryl · 12-01-2010, 11:16 PM

I have ramps that I got at camping world. Don't recall the price but not too expensive. IIRC, they are rated at something like 10K lbs per ramp. I've been using them for about 5 years and have had no problems. I use 'em along with the yellow building blocks also available at CW. Those do break from time to time, but have never had one break apart, just crack. If it gets a crack in it, it's trashed.

takepride · 12-01-2010, 11:27 PM

Stan:

My bad. The company is called Level-Upp. Here is an email they sent me.

HELLO!!

WE HAVE SEVERAL COMPANIES THAT SELL LEVEL UPPS, WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?

IF THERE IS NOT A DEALER IN YOUR AREA, WE CAN SELL THEM DIRECT AT $18.00 PLUS SHIPPING.

THEY ARE RATED AT 8,000 LBS PER WHEEL SO IF YOU HAVE A TANDUM AND USE 4 YOU ARE RATED AT 32,000 LBS

THEY ARE GUARANTEED FOR 2 YEARS

Their email is: HBSCCS@aol.com

They don't seem to have a website, but they sell through several places online, like:

Level-Upp - $19.94 (where I bought mine)

Level-Upp Leveling Ramp (a couple dollars more)

RV Level-Upp Leveler Ramp Style Leveling Blocks - TowShop

Here's the company info:

Level UPP Inc
(719) 597-2220
2454 Waynoka Rd
Colorado Springs, CO 80915

Looks like they have at least two weight ratings, I bought the advertised 10,000# per ramp size (though the email mentions 8K#). Very light weight and extremely strong. Rated for twice the weight I needed. I stack them inverted during travel

Jeff and Cheryl · 12-02-2010, 10:23 AM

Stan, Takepride,
The ramps I'm using are the one's Takepride links to. I carry 4 of them and like Take... I stacke them on top of each other, the top stack inverted on the lower stack. I'd guess total weight is 5 lbs or a little less.

gatorv · 12-02-2010, 02:05 PM

Just changed my own wheel bearings on my 2000. Used Jacks with no problem. After I took wheel off, I set coach halfway back down with a block under axel to share the load from the jacks. Left it that way for a week. Be careful, Hub is real heavy and will require help to lift off. Used and 8 ' bar to break lug nuts loose.Just like a car but big and heavy. Hope you have a strong back. Good Luck.

Gator